Audience Feedback

Now that the main task and subsidiary tasks are complete, we believed it to be a good idea to gain some audience feedback to help with the evaluation tasks. We created an ad-hoc questionnaire, as people were un-willing to have their voices recorded, and chose four main questions which cover all aspects of the video. 

The people who were asked to complete the questionnaire were within the target audience demographic of 17-25 year olds, male and female, and were specifically interested in Indie music - this allowed for a detailed and insightful interpretation. 

1. What did you most enjoy about the music video?

- My favourite part of the music video was the beginning when the two met in the bar; this was because it was really believable and is relatable to the audience. Also, I liked that they met in a pub because it looked like a typical local pub which is where people from the Indie genre would generally meet. 

-Personally, I really liked the live section of the music video because it gave you a clearer idea of Billy as an artist, especially if you were an Indie fan who hadn't heard his music before. 

-I most enjoyed the acting section of the music video because it told a story which made me think about my relationships, therefore showing that it is very relatable for the audience. I also liked the fact that they were very typical of an Indie couple and didn't need to spend loads of money on dates etc. they could just be themselves- I think the story was told really well.

-I feel that the music video was really entertaining and believable, I most enjoyed getting to see how the relationship of the couple developed and how natural they were around each other. Additionally, I liked the section where Billy was singing because it showed him as an artist and made the story section more believable. I like how this is conveyed through the website and CD pack you have created.

-My favourite part of the music video is the very end when the light is shining through the middle of the couple hugging because it looks like something you'd see in a film you want your life to be about, making it realistic. 

-I really like the use of black and white because it looks traditional and conveys a true passion between the couple which has lasted a long time. 

2. Did you feel it was typical of an Indie music video?

-I definitely believe that your music video created a stereotypical and conventional Indie music video and I can see the comparison between this music video and others that I have seen such as Ed Sheeran. 

-Yes because they are usually in black and white because it shows a traditional sense and they meet in a typical 'Indie' manner conveying that you have payed a great deal of attention to what usually occurs in Indie music videos.

-I really did, it is so similar to other music videos I have seen in the Indie genre, yet really stands out and shows a sense of individuality, showing that you have really met the true purpose of an Indie music video.

-I personally believe that it is so typical of an Indie music video by having scenes in black and white, and showing the artist singing live. Additionally, it shows a typical Indie couple in clothes that would be associated with Indies showing a sense of who they are without caring what other people think.

-Yes I do. It looks like what I would expect to see when watching an Indie music video and the video itself links really well with the song; thus showing the two are successfully linked and are typical of an Indie video.

-Yes because everything about the acting section is typical of an Indie music video by showing the couple and how they meet, then showing the progress in relationship. Also, the fact that it is in black and white is highly conventional of Indie music videos. It is definitely what I would expect to see when watching an Indie music video.

3. How well do you think the transitions worked between the scenes?

-I felt the transitions between the scenes worked well because it helped the video to flow smoothly.

-In my opinion the transitions helped tell the story and emphasised a change in time/day. Also, it allowed for there to be no jumping so there wasn't any distractions away from the video itself.

-Between each scene there is a transition which helps the whole thing run much nicer and smoothly. The transitions between the black and white and the coloured sections work really well in the sense that you can hardly tell it's changed and you don't suddenly think 'woah wait, what's happening'.

 -The transitions are really successful and help the video flow well without any jumps and random changes between dates of the couples. If it wasn't for the well chosen transitions then it could become confusing to the audience as to why the couple are in different clothes etc.

-I personally really liked the transitions. They show changes in time and make the video flow without cuts and distractions from what is happening. 

-I think they worked well because it kept my attention and represented a change in time, therefore showing how the relationship has progressed. The fact that they are done so smoothly show that they are hardly noticeable and are done really well.

4. Was there anything you would change or suggest could be improved about the music video?

-If I'm going to be really pedantic, I would suggest you could have tried some different camera angles on live section purely to try and make it more interesting, nonetheless I really enjoyed it and think it's great as it is.

-I think that I would have liked to seen the whole music video in either all black and white or all colour, preferably all black and white because it makes the whole video appear more classical.

-There isn't anything that I notice needs changing or adapting, but for suggestions on if you were to create it again, I think that maybe you could try a different colouring as opposed to black and white to see what it would look like. Overall, it was amazing.

-I loved the music video so much, the only thing I would change would be to make it longer! I want to see how the relationship pans out etc etc etc!

-Some different camera angles on the live section would have been nice to see, however it could have just looked too fussy as the sections aren't very long- maybe it could have worked.

-I really wouldn't change anything about the music video, I can't think how it possibly could be made any better, I really liked it and the song was great.

5. What do you think of the digipak?
-I like the fact that lyrics are including in the digipak because then we can learn the songs and feel more connected when we sing along to his songs. I also like the range of pictures that are chosen because it shows me what he is like outside of work as well as within.
-I think that the album links really well and conveys a true sense of Billy as an artist. I really like the picture chosen for the front cover because it shows he is strong and wants a place in the music industry.
-I like that you have used a hand drawn background because it kind of conveys the sense that Billy is a hand made artist who is fresh and original.
-I really like that there are pictures of the fans behind the letter to his fans because it shows that he really  cares and is a true and genuine person. 
-I like that it is simple and easy to understand without too many complicated and loud colours distracting away from the purpose. I think that it is a conventional digipak and is something that I have seen from other Indie artists.
-I like the fonts that are used because although there are a couple of different ones they all link really well to what they are being used for. They are simple yet related to what they're for.

6. Is the website typical of an Indie artist?
-The website looks really conventional and has similar features to what I have seen on websites such as Ed Sheeran and Ben Howard by using a very simple colour scheme added with a bright colour to show that they are new and upcoming. 
-Yes because there are numerous pictures of the artist included which is what you would typically find and it looks like other Indie websites I have been on.
-Definitely, the fact that his music videos are included is something I would definitely expect to see.
-Yes especially because there is an information page and a page with his music videos on because these are the first things I look for when on my favourite Indie artists' websites. 
-It is similar to what I have seen from other Indie artists' due to there being a blog so his fans know what he is up to and can get a real sense of who he is as a person when not working.
-Yes, the fact that there are features such as tour dates included is key because this is a main purpose for Indie artists' websites due to them not being announced on the radio etc. 


7. Do you think the music video, digipak and website link?
-They all definitely link because they all show elements of the same colour scheme and it is clear they are related to the same artist. 
-The fonts used across all three are pretty similar, the font used at the end of the music video is similar to that used on the front cover of the digipak and relates to those used within the website also. 
-Stills from the music video are clear in both the digipak and on the website which shows a systematic link between all three.
-A true British sense is conveyed through all three of the texts, they show a traditional artist through the use of colour and a bright burst of red.
-The fonts used really link and convey a true sense of similarity between all of the products which I really like. It is clear that they all link and are for the same artist.
-They all have black and white and bursts of red which shows they are all clearly related.

Final Draft - WEBSITE

This is the link to our finished website: 

http://chloef-x.wix.com/billylockettwebsite

After a few attempts of drafts for our website, we came to the conclusion that we needed more links between this and our Digipak and music video. We changed the original colour scheme from grey and fuchsia to grey and red as this matches those colours used on the digipak. 

We decided to create the entire website, rather than just the homepage, as this allowed us to explore and convey more conventions - including images, a link to his Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as copies of his music videos and a blog to inform his fans of his day-to-day activities. 

Final Draft - DIGIPAK

After carefully considering our first draft of the digipak, we came to the conclusion that it was not a believable product, and we therefore wanted to change various aspects.
The bold decision was made to challenge most album covers within the Indie genre, and include the artist as the main image, rather than an obscure drawing. We have still incorporated the 'doodle' idea within the background images, and the basis of the text remains the same. The colour scheme has been completely altered, as we feel these are less explicitly gendered that the use of pastel colours. 
Overall, this digipak has a more professional feel and look, and we feel this should be slightly altered and perfected for the final product. 

Final Product - Music Video

After patiently overcoming many issues with the uploading of this video to YouTube, we finally managed to share it. I am extremely proud of the final product, and the time and effort dedicated to making it as perfect as possible - I hope this can be seen from the video! 

Andrew Goodwin's Method of Analysis

Andrew Goodwin in 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory' describes characteristics of music videos.

1.  Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics: a dance routine for a pop artist

2.  A relationship between the lyrics and visuals: this can be subtle or it can be very over exaggerated

3.  A relationship between music and visuals: some will contradict the song but most will amplify the feeling of the song

4.  The record label will demand inclusion of close ups and develop a visual style and motifs throughout:many music artists will have a visual style for their videos

5.  References to particular erotic treatment of the female body: This is quite apparent in rap.  in my opinion this is dependant of the genre and sometimes men are used similarly. 

6.  There are often intertextual references: this can be to a film, TV programme or other music videos.

First Draft - DIGIPAK

This is our first draft for our digipak, we decided to explore the idea of the love heart sweets and this is the outcome



This is the front page, the artists name and the album title is incorporated.










This is the back cover of the digipak with the list of songs and a barcode










This is this inside left page, and is a letter to the fans











On the reverse side there are lyrics to the songs on the album, they cover 4 pages

Filming & Editing Schedules

Recce

Before filming for our music video we decided it would be a good idea to do a Recce of our locations to check they are suitable.

1. Wicksteed Park: This location is going to be perfect because it is in the countryside and in the autumn/winter when we are going to film it will look how we want it to for our genre of music.














2. The Donkey: this is where we will be filming the live footage of the artist. It is a pub and there are places we can set up the camera that will give us a good view of the stage without obstructing the view of the audience. Also the lighting and stage layout suits the typical venue an indie artist would perform in.



3. House: the inside part of the house will be filmed in my spare room. Although it doesn't look like a room that people with little money would own, it will be fine to use because we are hoping to put it in black and white. There is no/little furniture in the room making it easy to use as we needed an empty room.


4. Pub: we needed a pub that was fairly empty so we didn't disturb too many people. We feel like this was the best place to use because it was easily accessible to all of us and is not too busy. Also we gained permission from the owner to use it to film. This will be the location where the couple meets for the first time.


5. Street: this is going to be used to film the male character leading us through the story with an opening and an ending. This is a road that isn't busy and looks quite quaint and in a little village.


6. Moving in: we are using the back of our friends house to film the scene with the two characters moving in because it isn't a busy road and parking isn't too much of an issue.

Roles Within the Group

 

Director.
Sofie- as the more vocal of the group, we decided that she should be chosen to give out instructions during filming. We all collectively decided what would be happening throughout filming, as this was displayed on our storyboard, we decided it would be much easier if one person delegated the jobs so that there were not countless arguments.

Camera operator.
Sofie, Chloe and I- we are all going to take part in the filming. Chloe and Sofie will be doing the filming for the narrative sections However when we film Billy Lockett, I will be operating the camera.

 

Producer.
Sofie, Chloe and I- we have all individually and collectively had ideas for our music video and have an equal share in the decision making.

Editor.
Chloe- Sofie and I will be inputting throughout the editing process, however we decided as a group that it would be much more complex than necessary if we all attempted to edit sections of the music video, as we each have a different ways of approaching the editing tools. We felt that if one person did the operating and the other two chipped in, it would make our lives much easier and therefore creating a more successful music video.

Creative Director.
Sofie and I- Chloe will definitely have a big input in the creative side of things as we are all having an equal share of roles, but because Chloe was delegated to main editor, Sofie and I felt it would be good if we wrote down what we wanted each part of each scene to look like creatively, so the music video would be done to the best of our collective creative ability.

IMR

 

What is IMR?

In film theory, the Institutional Mode of Representation (IMR) is the dominant mode of film construction. This style was developed after the turn of the century and became the norm, most notably for Classical Hollywood Cinema, in about 1914.
The IMR is characterised by the attempt to create a fictional world on screen that the audience can become completely imaginatively involved in, instead of feeling separate. This is created by using close ups, these are something that were never used in the Primitive Mode which was the used for early cinema. A three dimensional space is created as well as new cinematic techniques such as lighting and editing to preserve the illusion of spatial integrity that is lost with close ups.
The close ups make the characters psychologically individuated therefore the audience interpret the motivations of characters and involve themselves in the films.

How does this relate to our music video?

IMR, in theory, is relevant to our music video, especially for the narrative section, as we are telling a story through a fictional world. We are using two main characters to create a fictional world for the audience in which they feel they can relate to the situation and feel somewhat involved. This is going to be relatable for our audience due to the close ups and 'untold' sections of the story, with which the audience can place themselves into the story and interpret it for themselves. We need to take into consideration the relationship and empathy we want to create for the audience when we are filming and editing the music video.

Recce

We completed a RECCE today in order to see if all of our locations were suitable for filming. Although all locations are what we wanted them to be and will be highly suited for our music video, as we won't be filming till late Autumn/Winter, due to the setting that we want, we are going to have an issue with daylight.

For our music video we wanted a autumn/wintery scene as it is a common association with happy couples and matches the theme of the song, however this does mean that we will have to film in the middle of the day due to lack of sunlight. This doesn't appear a problem on its own, nonetheless our male actor is only available after 2 o'clock until 5 o'clock- which means that our filming is going to have to be thoroughly pre-planned and set up prior to the arrival of the talent, in order to make the most of the sunlight without prolonging filming over numerous days.

Here are the locations for our music video;

Wicksteed Park: where we will be filming the field scene, the talent are going to be walking the dog whilst 'getting to know each other'

The Sorrels: we will be using this to film the scenes inside the house after the couple have just moved in to their shared home. This first picture shows the left hand corner when the talent will be sitting, and where you can see the edge of the ironing board in the picture, is where there will be some minimal belongings that the couple share

This is just a different angle of the room we will be using, as we will film multiple angles. We will use this angle to see the male lead gazing out the window thinking of the life he wished they could afford to live

The Donkey: the pub in which Billy Lockett will be performing. We chose this location to visit as it is quite a 'normal' and relaxed setting which conveys the idea of the song and reflects the fact that he is an Indie artist

The Lilacs: where we will be filming the bar scene when the couple first meet. We chose this location for the first meet of the couple due to the fact that it is a typical place for young people to meet and conveys the normality, allowing the audience to relate to the 'story' we are aiming to tell, making it believable

The Sorrels Street: this is the street that we are going to have the male lead walking down at the beginning and end of the music video in order to show that he is taking the audience on a journey. We have chosen to start and end in this way as it reflects a 'complete story'

Storyboard First Draft

Our Song Lyrics

I'm not a wild man
And I'm not a crazy guy
But I know I'm genuine
So sit and watch I'll tell you why
And I'm not a superhero
And I'm not a movie star
But when you're around
I make you feel like you are
Like you are

So let's go to the attic
Let's go to the shops
Let's grab the old red carpet
Wear the dress with polka dots
And pretend that we're stars
walking down Leicester Square
Or actors in a movie
On a secret love affair
Love affair

So stick by me and I'll tell you
There's light at the end
Stick by me and I'll show you
That all you need is a friend
So don't balance out the window
And smirk with your eyes
Don't balance on a spindle
And smile when you know I'm uptight

We're sitting in this empty room
With no furniture
And the money's running low
And the future is a blur
And I know it won't be easy
But please just wait and see
One day we'll be where we want to be
Want to be

So stick by me and I'll tell you
There's light at the end
Stick by me and I'll show you
That all you need is a friend
So don't balance out the window
And smirk with your eyes
Don't balance on a spindle
And smile when you know I'm uptight

Take my hand
And spin me around
Dance like a fool
Dance, dance around
Take my hand
And spin me around
Dance like a fool
Dance, dance around
Take my hand and spin me around
And dance like a fool
Dance, dance around

So stick by me and I'll tell you
There's light at the end
Stick by me and I'll show you
That all you need is a friend
So don't balance out the window
And smirk with your eyes
Don't balance on a spindle
And smile when you know I'm uptight

The lyrics have been the basis of most of our ideas, when unsure of what should come next initially in the planning of our music video we used the lyrics to link with the visuals on screen. This is something that Andrew Goodwin lists in his method of analysis music videos and something we all viewed as important. The lyrics to the song had to relate to the story/narrative in the video otherwise you leave the target audience confused and unsure of what is happening.

Call Sheet

Crew:

Alice Spencer

Chloe Flynn

Sofie Helps

Actors:

Alex York in the role of the main boy

Tamsen Zeigler in the role of the main female

Billy Lockett as himself

Tilly as herself as the dog

Locations:

The Donkey filming Billy Lockett live

The Lilacs filming the bar scene when they first meet

The Sorrels filming the street scene, house scene(s) and car scene

Wicksteed Park filming the field scene

Schedule:

Thursday 1st November The Donkey, Billy Lockett, live scene, 1 hour

Tuesday 20th November The Sorrels, Alex York and Tamsen Zeigler, street scene and house scene, 3 hours

Tuesday 27th November Wicksteed Park, Alex York, Tamsen Zeigler and Tilly, field scene, 2 hours

Live Footage

After speaking with the artist over email and facebook, we finally organised a date to film the live footage section of our music video. We attended one of his tour dates, and the location was 'The Donkey' in Leicester, where we spoke directly with Billy Lockett and his manager to ensure that it was still okay for us to film from the front of the stage.

We faced a few problems, such as poor lighting quality, however this can easily be altered on the editing software we are going to use. Another issue was getting still photographs of the performance for us to use on the website and digipak; we could not use the flash on the cameras as this would interfere with the filming, and the viewing for the rest of the audience. However, one of the group members had a photo ediding app on their iPhone which could be used to brighten the photos, so they are now usable.